Proclamation 5595 --
Imposition of Temporary Surcharge on Imports of Certain Softwood Lumber
Products From
By
the President of the
of
A
Proclamation
1.
I have determined today, pursuant to Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974, as
amended (hereinafter ``the Act'') (19 U.S.C. 2411), that the inability of the Government
of Canada to collect an export charge on exports of certain softwood lumber
products to the United States of America until at least January 8, 1987, is
unjustifiable or unreasonable and constitutes a burden or restriction of U.S.
commerce.
2.
Section 301(a) of the Act (19 U.S.C. 2411(a)) authorizes the President to take
all appropriate and feasible action to obtain the elimination of an act,
policy, or practice of a foreign government or instrumentality that 1) is
inconsistent with the provisions of, or otherwise denies benefits to the United
States under, any trade agreement; or 2) is unjustifiable, unreasonable or
discriminatory and burdens or restricts United States commerce. Section 301(b)
of the Act (19 U.S.C. 2411(b)) also authorizes the President to suspend,
withdraw, or prevent the application of benefits of trade agreement concessions
with respect to, and to impose duties or other import restrictions on the
products of, such foreign government or instrumentality. Pursuant to Section 301(a)
of the Act, any such actions can be taken on a discriminatory basis solely
against the foreign government or instrumentality involved. Section 301(d)(1) of the Act (19 U.S.C. 2411(d)(1)) authorizes the
President to take action on his own motion.
3.
In response to the inability of the Government of Canada to collect an export
charge on exports of certain softwood lumber products to the United States of
America until at least January 8, 1987, I have decided that expeditious action
is required, and, pursuant to Section 301(a), (b), and (d)(1)
of the Act, to increase temporarily the rates of duty on imports from Canada of
the softwood lumber products provided for in Appendix A to this Proclamation. I
am authorizing the Secretary of Commerce to determine when the Government of
Canada begins to collect the export charge and, when he has made that
determination, to take all necessary and appropriate steps to end the temporary
surcharge I have today proclaimed.
Now,
Therefore, I, Ronald Reagan, President of the United States of America, acting
under authority vested in me by the Constitution and the statutes of the United
States, including but not limited to Section 301(a), (b), and (d)(1) and
Section 604 of the Act (19 U.S.C. 2411(a), (b), (d)(1); (2483), do proclaim
that:
1.
Subpart B of part 1 of Schedule 2 of the Tariff Schedules of the
2.
The Secretary of Commerce is hereby authorized to terminate the temporary
increase in the rates of duty on the articles subject to this Proclamation upon
publication in the Federal Register of his determination that such termination
is justified by actions taken by the Government of Canada with respect to this
matter.
In
Witness Whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this thirtieth day of December, in
the year of our Lord nineteen hundred and eighty-six, and of the
Ronald
Reagan
[Filed
with the Office of the Federal Register,
Note:
The proclamation was released by the Office of the Press Secretary on December
31. The appendix was printed in the ``Federal Register'' of